Braking mechanism for roller conveyers



Patented Feb. 19, 19.24;

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JOSEPH GROSSMAN, WALLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

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Application filed September 20, 1922. Serial No. 589,424.'

Mechanism for Roller Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to lroller conveyors and it has particular relation to means for braking one or more oi' the individual rollers of conveyersof the gravity type.

Heretofore, much difculty and inconvenience has been encountered in conveyers of the gravity t pe, -and particularly with those of relativel7 relatively steep grade or angle of inclina tion, by reason of the high velocity attained by the larticles transported thereby. `lf the articles traversing the conveyer are relatively heavy, such as packing cases and the like, the speed attained by such articles by the time they reachvthe bottom` or end portion of the conveyer or a sharp curve therein, vis sulicient to either displace a truck by impact therewith, if the articles are delivered directly to a truck, or to become themselves displaced from the `conveyer at .a sharp curve, and in either case consider-k able damage is caused to the cases, or other articles.

Another serious disadvantage incidentalA to conveyers of the type mentioned is that even though the articles do not attain a very high velocity, it frequently yoccurs that a large number of articles may be delivered to the conveyer at one time and are con-` sequently conveyed and delivered thereby 1n' vseparate groups. The result is that a suiiicient number of persons must be on hand at the delivery end of theconveyer to eiliciently handlevall of the articles which may'y be delivered at one time in a group and the A duties performed by these attendants is consequentlyv of an interrupted nature.

An object of the invention is tol provide ing the conveyer, orof a suflicient number of the rollers for the purpose, may be re-` y great length or having a Another object of the invention` is to provide a mechanism, of the character set forth, which may be easily operated to collect the articles at a predetermined location thereon and to deliver the same consecutively to another portion of the conveyer at spaced intervals, in'order that they may be individually handled by a relativelyfew attendants. i f

A further object of the invention is to provide abrake bar which is so disposed with respect to the direction ofrotation of the conveyer rollers,that the action ofthe rotating rollers tends todraw thel brakin bar into intimate engagement therewit and to jam the aforesaid barV` between the rollers and the brake bar. supportas soon as ythe bar is moved into contact with the surfaces of the respectivefrollers, therebyy facilitating the manipulation and eilicency ofthe brakin mechanism...

A still furt to Aprovide a braking mechanism for con- Y er objvectoiil the invention is veyers, of the character described,.Which is of relatively simpleand rugged construction, comprises relativelyfew parts" and which may be quickly and easily embodied in a roller conveyer of standard construction.

VVithsuch.objects in viewfas wellas other advantages `which may be incident'to the "use of the improvements, the invention consists 1n the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set'forth and claimed, with the un-4 derstanding that the several necessary ele-A ments constituting the samemay be varied in proportions and arrangement withoutdeparting from the "nature and scope of the@ invention. l

In order'to make thel invention v*more clearly understood there arev shown inthe accompanying drawings means `for carrying vthe same into `practical effect, without limiting the improvements, intheir useful applications, to the particular constructions y which, for the purpose kof explanation, have been .made the subject of illustration. In

a braking mechanism for conveyers, of the Q the said drawingscharacter described, by means of which'the'A rotation of a group of the rollers constituty Figure 1 is a verticalI longitudinal sectional view of a'roller conveyer of the gravity type embodying thel invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof a portion of the.

structure illustrated lin Fig. 1.

Fig.A 3 is al transverse sectionalviQeriir;taken` on line A3---3 of Figi l.:

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in vertical section at the lower end of the braking mechanism, illustrating the connection between the brake bar and the operating lever.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one end of a roller, and neighboring parts, on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the conveyer embodying the present invention is illustrated as comprising, in general, an inclined portion 1 and a Substantially horizontal por tion 2, bothof which are supported by any suitable frame structure The portions 1 and 2 of the iconvey'er each comprise parallel side ,members 41, preferably of angular cross `sectionwhich areconnected together and maintained in proper spaced relation with respect to each other by means of a plurality of transversely extending tie rods or bars 5. A plurality of conveyor rollers 6, of,4 any preferred ,and suitable construction, areunriounted on and between the side membersgl for free rotationand are adapted to directly support the weight of the article moving along the 'cfo'nveyer The conveyer is or may beprovided with usual guard or guide ,rails 7 which direct the passage of articlestherealong. l s d A centrally disposed longitudinally extending brake bar support Seis suspended beneath the inclined portion 1 of the conveyer bymeans of a plurality `of brackets or hangers 9 which are suitably secured to the side `members fi of theconveyer. The top surface of the support 8 yisfinclined slightly with respect to the plane 'of the portion: 1 of the conveyer,that to say, the upper portion of the support 8 is in 'closer proximity to the rollers 6 of the conveyer thanlis the lower portion thereof. The hangers 9 may be constructed of the same ,general shape and overall. vdepth to facilitate the manufacture thereof, and in such event the lower edgel of rf the supporting bar 8 is notched or recessed as4 at 10 (Fig. 4) in order to maintain the desired angular relation with respect to the plane of the conveyer. t u

Aubrake'bar 11 isy slidably mounted for longitudinal movement upon thesupport 8 and its lower and upper surfaces converge towards its upper `end to conform to the angle of 4inclination between the supporting bar 8 andthe plane of the conveyenkthe bar 11 being thus of wedge shape and constitutingl'a wedging means acting between -the sup port 8 and the rollers 6 to have a braking action on lthe. latter.

V,By means. of4 this construction and Aarrangement O `the Asupporting bar 8 and the brake barA .11.,theuufpp'er surface of the latter is at all times parallel to the plane of the @mieres and tlieOY-otin'g liel-ds'ufae's of 'the bars 8 and 11 cause thelbrake bar '8 to move toward and int simultaneous engagement with a group of the rollers 6 with a wedging action when 'the brake bar 11 is moved upwardly along the supporting bar 8.

The brake bar 11 is moved along the supporting bar 8 and into and out of engagement with the rollers 6 of the conveyer, by means of any suitable device, such for instance as an operating lever 12 which is connected with the lower extremity of the brake bar 11 by means of a link or rod 13, horizontal lever 13 and link 12. rThe link 13 may be connected with the brake bar 11 in any preferred manner but in the present instance the extremity of the link 13 is screw threaded (Fig. 1) and projects into an aperture provided in the end of the brake bar 11 and into a recess 14 formed on the under surface of the brake bar a short distance from its end. t A nut 15 is carried by the end of the link which extends into the recess 14C and prevents the link from becoming disengaged from the brake bar. A lock nut 16 is also provided onthe link 13 for engagement with the end of the bar 11.

By this particular construction the link 13 may be quickly and easily adjusted with respect to the brake bar 11 in the event of wear of the several parts of the braking mechanism. That is to say, in the event that the coacting inclined surfaces ofthe supporting bar 8 andthe brake bar 11 'and the rollerengaging surface of the latter become worn, the nuts 15 and 16 may be loosened and the brakebar 11 be then movedupwardly along the supporting bar 8 a slight distance to increase the distance between its lowerend and the operating lever 12 and restore its top surface to thedesired ,proximity to s the rollers. The nuts 15 and 16 may be then againl tightened to secure the link 13 to the bar 10 in its adjustedpo'sition.

In the present instance the operating lever 12 is shown as being pivotally mounted upon the floor and in close proximity to the brak-` ing mechanism but it will be readily ap parentA that the mechanical connections between the operating lever 12 and the brake bar 11 may be extended and such asto admit ofucontrol from a remote station. f

While therollers which are engaged by thebrake 11 may be specially shaped for cooperation therewith as may be desired, it

is economical and efficient to shape all of the rollers of one pattern and to apply the brake to the article-supporting surfaces of the rollers at anyV desired point between their ends.Y 'As shown in Fig. 2 the middle point is chosen for such application; and my inventionis not necessarily confined to applying the brake to the under sides of the rollers, though in most cases such arrangement is preferable. Y y I 'll-he faction vofthe brake is or may be such as to elevate the braked rollers slightly,`

so far as may be permitted by the' locsene'ss -journals may rest loosely in holes in the frame elements 1, being kept in place by cotter pins 20. The rollers may be prevented from having too much endwise movement, but are left free for turning by spacing `washers 21 on their ournals at the inner sides of the frame elements 1.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a very simple and efficient braking mechanism is provided in which the braking means is disposed beneath the conveyer for direct contact with the rollers thereof, thereby materially increasing the coefficient of friction between the respective parts by increasing the contact area thereof.

Furthermore, the various instrumentalities are so constructed and proportioned and are so arranged with respect to the conveyer rollers that when the operator moves the brake bar 11 into engagement with the rollers 6 of the conveyer to retard, or altogether eEect a cessation of, their rotative movement, the weight of the article carried by the rollers is suficient, in most instances, to cause the rollers to draw upward and jam the brake bar into wedging engagement therewith and to maintain the brake bar in such position even though the force exerted through the medium of the operating handle may be subsequently released. In such case force must be again applied to the operating lever in an opposite direction to disengage the brake bar l1 from wedging engagement with the rollers 6 to permit the conveyer to continue to function. A further advantage of the present construction is that articles may be collected on the inclined portion 1 of the conveyer adjacent to the lower portion thereof and successively released and delivered under the action of gravity to the horizontal portion 2 of the conveyer in spaced relation for convenient handling.

1. In combination with a roller conveyer having fixed rollers, of a braking device mounted for movement into frictional engagement with said rollers, operating against the under sides thereof while the load is free to operate on their upper sides.

2. In combination with a roller conveyer having fixed rollers, of a braking device mounted beneath the rollers of said conveyer for movement upward into direct frictional engagement therewith.

3. In combination with a roller conveyer, of a braking device mounted beneath lthe fixed rollers of said conveyer for vertical movement upward into frictional engage` ment therewith.

41. In combination with a roller conveyer, of a braking device mounted beneath the rollers of said conveyer for upward and lon- Y,

gitudinal movement into direct frictional Contact with said rollers. f

5. In combination with a roller conveyer, a supporting member disposed beneath the rollers of said conveyer, a brake member carried thereby for direct engagement withl the under sides of said rollers, and means for actuating said brake member.

6. In combination with a roller conveyer havingstationary rollers, a supporting member disposed beneath the Yrollers of said conveyer and having a surface inclined with respect to the plane of said conveyer, a brake` member carried by said supporting member and having an inclined surface inl engagement with that 0f said supporting member and means for moving said members relatively to each other to move said brake member upward into direct engagement with the under sides of a plurality of said con veyer rollers.

7 In combination with a roller conveyer having stationary rollers, a plurality of relatively movable members disposed beneath therollers of said conveyer and provided with coacting inclined surfaces, and means for moving said members relatively to each other to cause one of said members to move upwardly into direct frictional engagement with the under sides of a plurality of said conveyer rollers.

8. In combination with a roller conveyer having stationary rollers, a supporting member disposed beneath the rollers of said conveyer, a longitudinally movable braking member carried by said supporting member for direct frictional engagement with the under sides of said rollers, means for aotuating said braking member, and means for adjusting said braking member with respect to said actuating means. A

9. In combination with a roller conveyer having stationary rollers, a longitudinally supporting bar suspended from said conveyer and in spaced relation therewith, a brake bar slidably mounted on said supporting bar for longitudinal movement with respect thereto, said bars being provided with coacting inclined surfaces, and means for moving said brake bar along said supporting bar and into wedging engagement with the under side of said conveyer rollers.

10. In combination with a roller conveyer having stationary rollers, a supporting member suspended beneath said conveyer and in spaced relation with respect to the rollers thereof and having a surface inclined 'with respect to the plane of said conveyer, a longitudinally extending wedging member slidably mounted on said supporting member and under the rollers .to be engaged and adapted to be vmoved longitudinally thereof and into direct frictional contact with the under sides of said rollers to retard the rotative movement thereof, link and lever mechanism for actuating said wedging member and means for adjusting the distance therebetween.

1l. In combination with the stationary rollers of a roller conveyer, and their bearings, wedging means arranged to press said rollers, relative to their bearings, and with a braking action, towards the path of materiall and articles on said conveyer.

12. In combination with the stationary rollers of a roller conveyer, and their bearings, means arranged to press a group of said rollers, relative to ytheir bearings, and with a braking action, all in the same direction and against the superposed load.

k13. In combination with the stationary rollers of a roller convey'er, and their bearings, of a brake bar extending past said rollers in the direction of the length of the conveyer and engageable with said rollers, leaving the upper sides of the rollers free for the engagement of a superposed load.

14. In combination with the stationary rollers of a roller conveyer, and their bearings, o a brake bar extending past said rollers in the direction of the length of the conveyer and engageable with said rollers in a direction opposite to the pressure of the load, and means for moving the brake-bar endwise to eii'ect such engagement.

l5. In a roller conveyer, the combination of stationary rollers, and braking means' for pressing said rollers oppositely to the pressure of the load.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

JOSEPH GRossMAN. 

